Rotary explosive-engine.



E. A. THOMAS & W. V. BITTER. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1909.

962,064. Patented June 21, 1910.

5 8HEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES: LVVENTORS.

Elmer/ 7720mm A TTORNEY.

E. A. THOMAS & W. V. BITTER. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1909. I 962,064, Patented June 21,1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: LVVENTORS;

Elmer/1 '7" homas N M Q A TTORNEY.

IVJTNESSES:

'E. A. THOMAS & w. v. BITTER.

ROTARY EXPLOS IVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED mm: a, 1909.

Patented Jun 21, 1910,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

LVVENTORS,

ATTORNEY.

ElmerA-Thomas E. A. THOMAS & W. V. BITTER. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1909. 962,064, Patented June 21, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTORS. Elmer'A' Thamas 7 L "'1 TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE.

ELMER A. THOMAS AND WILLIAM V. BITTER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

Application filed June 3,1909. Serial Not 499,924.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Emu-3n A. THOMAS and \VILLIAM V. BITTER, citizensof the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and .useful Improvements in Rotary Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention has relation to improvements in rotary-cylinder explosiveengines; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed outin theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical Y transverse section of theengine on the line 11 of F1g. 2; Fig. 2 1s a combined side elevation andvertical section on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1, the section. of the mixing.

valve however, being confined to the plane of section on the line 22" ofF ig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end View of the outer cylinder head, parts beingbroken away; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 44 ofFig. 2,3howing an end view of one of the central casing heads, andshowing the position of the dog traversing the cam track after mak-f ingelectric contact to effect explosion; Fig. 5 is a' detached view of theinsulating sleeve with a diagrannnatic illustration of the wiring to thebattery or cquivalent'source of electric energy; Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 4 slightly enlarged showing the contacting or sparkingposition of the dog; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of the mixing valveon the broken line 77 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a transversevertical sectionon the line S-8 of Fig. 2, showing the manner of anchoring the innerends of the piston rods; Fig. 5) is an enlarged face viewof the camplate showing track over which the dog travels; Fig. 10 is across-section on line 10-10 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an enlarged radialsectional detail througlf'the head carrying the dog traversing thecam-track; and Fig. 12 is a sectional detail of the corresponding partson the line 12-12 of Fig, 6.

The object of our invention is to construct a rotary-cylinderreciprocating-piston type of explosive engine which will develop amaximum efliciency by reason of a reduced number of operating partsaccurately balanced and symmetrically disposed about the axis ofrotation of the cylinders (there being a cylinder on either side of suchaxis) one in which the valve-controlling mechanism is in compactrelation to the body of the cylinder leaving .no parts projecting to anyobjectionable .extent beyond the cylinder walls thereby reducing thebulk of the revolvingmass; one requiringa minimum amount of v attentionand repair; and one possessing further and other advantages betterapparent from a detailed description of the invention which is asfollows Referring to the drawings, S; S, repre sent a pair of standardsbetween which are rigidly secured the cylindrical trunnions T providedwith inner right'angled offsets or arms t, 25, each of which is providedwith a stud or boss t, the bosses being spaced a slight distance apartasshown (Fig. 2). Each stud or boss is provided with a cap-piece 1having a track for the traveland support of the anti-friction balls 2,the latter being confined between. such cap-pieces and an en: compassingring 3 provided with wearing bands or rings 3 for the balls, thering 3being embraced at its ends by-the straps 4 of the inner forked end ofthe piston-rod 5, and

at its middle being embraced by the straps 4 at the inner end of thepiston-rod 5, the ends of the straps being connected in each case bybolts 6. The outer end of each piston-rod 5, 5 is connected to a pistonP, operating in a-cylinder t, the outer walls of which are ribbed asshown to facilitate cooling, as well understood in the art. The mannerof connecting the fixed ends of the piston-rods 5; 5' to the studs t, asdescribed, need not be adhered to, as other methodsof effecting theconnection may be devised by the skilled mechanic, but the presentmethod permits of a rapid assembling and disassembling of the parts. Thebases of the cylinders C, enlarge into a common cylindrical casing orchamber \vhosc axis is transverse to the common axis of the cylinders C,C, said chamber C being closed by the cylinder heads 7, 7", whichrevolve about the ball-bearings 2' confined in-suitable pockets in theheads and runningon the trunnions T, as fully shown in Fig. 2.

Projecting from the center of the head 7 and surrounding the trunnion Tis :1 cylindrical ring or hub 8 to the sides of which are bolted theplates 9, 9 into which are fitted the inner ends of the sup ly andexhaust 'pipes'lO, 11, respectively, t e outer ends of the respectivepipes being secured to the flanges 12, 12' of the branches of the elbowformation 13 cast with the outer cylinder head 14. Firmly secured to thetrunnion T, and passed loosely and partially into the hub 8 is apeculiarly shaped ring 15 (Figs. 2, 7) provided with a cylindricalopening for the passage therethrough of the trunnion T, and having anouter flange formation 16 which bears against the end of the hub 8 andlimits the depth of insertion of the ring into said hub. The rear end ofthe ring-terminates in a fiange- 17 which, together with the flange 16,serves to divide the chamber of the hub 8 into two distinct compartmentsor chambers, namely an annular chamberv m from which the supply pipeslead, and an adjacent exhaust chamber a into which the exhaust pipes 11discharge, the contents of the chamber 11. being carried out by thedischarge nozzle 18.. Formed in the ring adjacent tothe passage 0 is anopening 0 traversed at a convenient point by the stem of a needle valve19 which is adjusted to regulate into the opening 0, the flow of thegasolene sprayed thereinto from the gasolene supply pipe 20. The pipe 20as shown discharges into a suitable passage-way in the ring 15 leadingto the opening 0. 'As the gasolene isv sprayed into the opening orchamber 0 the atmospheric air will be drawn into the opening and thesuitable mixture thus effected will flow into the annular chamber mwhich may for convenience be termed the supply or storage chamber. Forfurther convenience the ring 15 with its attachments (the Whole forminga single casting) may be termed a mixing valve or mixing chamber, sinceit is within the open ing or passage 0 that the mixing of the gasoleneand air takes place; and it is thus around this mixing valve that theexhaust. chamber at is located (Fig. 2).

It may be stated in passing that the mixing valve is stationary on itssupporting trunnion T, thehub 8 with the cylinder head 7 revolvingfreely around the trunnion. The head? on the other hand is provided witha flange 7 to which is bolted a coverplate 21, said plate having a hubportion to which is secured a sprocket Wheel 22' from which power may betransmitted to any suitable point. Keyed, or otherwise rigidly securedto'the trunnion T, adjacent to the head 7 and within the flange 7", andcon fined between the head and the cover-plate 21, is a cam-plate 23having track formations substantially as shown in Figs. 4, 6'

and 9. These track formations or grooves.

are traversed by a shuttle or dog 24, there being one dog identifiedwith each cylinder C. The stem. 25 of the dog is rotatably mounted in abent link 26 one end of which 'is' pivotally attached to a lug or ear'27projecting inwardly from the flange 7", the opposlte end ofthelink beingpivotally sea to Z).

cured to a connecting rod 28 projecting loosely through the flange 7 theouter end of the rodbeing pivotally coupled to the end of a long arm ofa lever 29 pivoted between the cars 30 on top of the elbow formation 13on the cylinder head 14. The respective arms of the oscillating lever 29engage the stems 31, 31 of the reciprocating intake andexhaust valves V,V, sald valves controlling the passage-ways or ports respectivelycommunicating with the inlet and exhaust pipes 10, 11. The valves arenormally held to their seats by springs 32 which are compressed with theopening or unseating movement of the valve. It will be apparent that ifwe pull inwardly on the rod 28, it will oscillate the lever 29 ina'direction to depress or unseat the intake valve V; if we pushoutwardly it will oscillate the lever to unseat the valve V. I

In Fig. 2, the intake valve of one cylinder is open, and the exhaustvalve of the opposite cylinder is open; and'when the levers 29 aretilted so as to occupy an intermediate position, or one which will allowfor the disengagement or release of both valves, then both valves willbeclosed. The positions of the valves are controlled by the traverse-10fthe dog 24 in the sinuous track of the campoints 6, b itbeg ins torecede from the .cen-

ter-or axis of the cam-plate, (such center corresponding to the axis ofrotation of the cylindersithereby pushing on therod 28 and allowing bothvalves to'closeyfrom b to 0 the traverse is along a track sectionconcentric with the arc of which the point 6 forms one terminal and bothvalves continue cause its short arm to depress the valve V and allow thevalve V to close, after which the dog traverses the are from e l to ewhich is concentric with the arc of which the point 03 forms oneterminal, and the valve V continues to remain open. This brings the dogback to the point e whence it at once intersects the point cfresumingits first path from In the traverse of the dog from a to 6 it isapparent that two rotations of the cylinder are necessary since in suchtraverse the dog has traveled 360 degrees. The trav erse from u to Z)corresponds to approximately a half rotation of the cylinder duringwhich the open valve V admits the ex-- plosive mixture from the chamberme into 25 an axis eccentric thereto, namely about the the cylinder andbehind the receding piston. The valve V closing for a traverse of thedog between 6 and 6' allows the cylinder to rotate for a closed positionof both valves for substantially another half revolution during whichtime the charge previously admitted is compressed, the piston in suchsecond half revolution reciprocating toward the outer end of thecylinder and the dog traveling from b to c; for the third halfrevolution, (between the points 0, (Z) the explosion takes place,driving thepiston inwardly, the exhaust valve opening between dand d.From (Z to e on the last halfrevolution, the exhaust valve V remainsopen allowing the spent gases to escape into the chamber a and thenceout through the exhaust nozzle 18. We thus have a four cycle engine, anexplosion taking place once in two rotations of-the-cylinder, or in fourreciprocations of the piston. Since both cylinders operate alike anexplanation of one will sufiice for the other. It is apparent that sincethe cylinder rotates about one axis (the axis of the trunnion T) and thepiston revolves about axis of the stud t, the piston will reciprocateback and forth in the cylinder while re volvmg about the axis of thestud t, and

.while the cylinder is rotating about the axis.

of the trunnion T. The explosion of the gases within the cylinder isbrought about by the closing of certain electric circuits into which thedog is brought at the proper time, and which may be described as follows:'-Passed over one of the trunnion sections T on the side of the engineopposite the head 7 and loosely enveloped by the hub of the cover-plate21 is an insulating sleeve held in position on the trunnion by asecuring spring 3% which bears against the outer cylindrical surface ofthe trunnion bearing on top of the standard S, (Fig. 2).- The outer endof the sleeve is provided with a handle 35 by which the sleeve may bemanipulated'and rotatably adjusted to any position on the trunnion. Theinner end of the insulating sleeve terminates in a slight enlargement orflange to which is secured a metallic Wiper 36 which is so positioned asto rub up against the stem 25 of the dog 24 when the dog happens tooccupy the position approximately at the point 0, this (or any point onthe are 5, 0,61) constituting the only position of the dog which allowsthe stem 25 thereof to rub against the wiper 36. In other words, thestem 25 and wiper 36 come together once for every two revolutions of thecylinder. The link 26 is so bent that the wiper 36 clears the ear orlug-27 in the rotation of the latter about the axis of the trunnion T(Fig. 12), so that only the stem 25 can engage the wiper. Secured to theinsulating sleeve .33 within the chamber of the head7 is a contact block37 which in the rotation of the cylinder is engaged by an insulatedwiper 38 secured to the flange 7 of the rotating head 7, a wire 20leadingfrom the securing screw of said wiper to the spark-plug 39 at theouter end of the cylinder C. From the block 37 there runs along thesleeve 33a wire w, thence extending as wire w to thespark coil 40 whenceit extends as wire/L0 to the engine body or frame E (see Fig. 5), sothat together with wire '20 leading to the sparkphw, the sparkingcircuit is completed.

This spark circuit however, is'only effective upon the closing of theprimary battery circuit which happens when the wiper 36 rubs up againstthe stem 25 of the dog 2st. From the wiper 36 extends along the sleeve33 a wire that, upon the closing of the primary circuit by the passingof the wiper 36 over the stem 25 of the dog, the spark circuit will beinduced in the spark coil, (as the wiper 38 is passing over the contactblock 37) and the sparking of the current explodes the mixture withinthe cylinder at. the proper moment. Of course, the-wiper 36 is spacedfrom the block 37 at the proper distance to effect a simultaneouscontact between the wiper 38 and block 37, and wiper 36 and stem 25respectively whenever the dog 2ft occupies the position near the point aon the cam-plate. The rubbing of the wiper 38 against the contact block37 for any other position of the dog can have no effect on the sparkplug, as we must first have a closed primary circuit before we can havea secondary or induced spark circuit. The spark coil is here illustratedonly conventionally. and any standard coil on the market will answer thepurpose. To close the primary circuit, of course, the switch 41 must beswung'to closed position as is obvious.

In assembling the machine, no special care need be observed as to theposition of either dog on the cam-track. The dogs will adjustthemselves, and once the engine is started they will ,follow each otherat proper distances apart, each dog sparking its own cylinder. To startthe engine the'cylinders a0 whence it is continued as wire 20 throughvare first given a turn by hand, the switch ll closed, the gasoleneturned von, after which the engine will propel itself. The

-operation having been described in connection with the description ofthe details, need not againbe reviewed at this point.

From an inspection of Figsf, .6 and 9 it will be seen that the positionof the wiper 36 is opposite the arc of traverse of the dog 24- while thelatter its-passing over the concentric portions of the cam-track betweenI)" an explosion results.

- ating the latter table about a the cylinders and eccentric to c, and 0to (Z, and the sten1'25 of the dog will strike the wiper no matter toWhat position the sleeve 33 may be'turned. As illustrated, (Fig. 6) thesleeve has been set so as to bring the wiper approximately opposite thepoint marked 0 in Fig. 9, so that it is at this point at-whichcontactoccurs and For that position of the dog (Fig. completed itscompression stroke and is probably receding inwardly, this arrangementresulting in a rapid rotation for the cylinder. If the sleeve 33 be setso that the wiper 36 will be nearer the point (Z, by which time thepiston has traveled a greater distance inwardly the explosion will takeplace later, and the engine will slow down. Thus by simply seizing thehandle 35 and giving the sleeve 33 a slight turn, the point of explosionmay be carefully adjusted relatively to the stroke of the piston.

ders operating alike. The link 26 of course, allows the dog all thelatitude to traverse the sinuous track'of the cam-plate.

Having described our invention, whatwe claim is:

1. In an explosive engine, a cylinder rotatransverse axis, a mixingvalve disposed about said axis on one side of the cylinder, a piston forsaid cylinder, a pipe conducting the mixture from the m1x1ngj valve tothe outer end of the cylinder behind the piston, an exhaust pipe leadingfrom said cylinder end' to a point contiguous to the walls of the mixingvalve, valves for controlling the passages from the aforesaid pipes intothe cylinder, a member having a cam-track disposed about the axis ofrotation tat thecyl nder on the opposite side of the cylinder, a dogtraversing'thc cam-track,

intermediate connections carried by the engine between the dog andvalves for actuwith the rotation of the cylinder, and electricspark-devices controlled by the dog in the travel of the latter along'the cam-track.

2. An explosive engine comprising a pair of cylinders with adj acentendsspaced apart,a

transversely disposed crank-shaft about the axis of which the cylindersrotate, a crank on said shaftlocated in the space between to the axis of6) the piston P. has about hat is trueof one dog is true of the other,both cylin-.

rotation of the cylinders, pistons operating in the cylinders andrevolving about the crank aforesaid, a nnxing valve disposed about thecrank-shaft a pipe for conducting to the outer end of each mixing valve,exhaust pipes connecting said chamber with the outer ends of therespective cylinders, valves in the cylinders for controlling thepassage of the explosive mixture into, and the spent gases out of thecylinders, a cam-plate provided with a camtrack disposed'about the axisof rotation of the cylinders on the side opposite from the mixing valve,dogs traversing the cam-track, intermediate link connections betweeneach dog and the valves of its respective cylinder for actuating thevalves, spark-plugs, and means for electrifying the plugs by the r0-tation of the cylinders and exploding the mixture, the parts operatingsubstantially as set forth.

3. In an explosive engine, table about a transverse axis, a stationarymixing valve disposed about said axis on one side of the cylinder, apiston for said cylinder, a pipe arranged to conduct the mixture fromthe mixing valve to the outer end'of'the cylinder behind the piston, anexhaust pipe leading from said cylinder end to a point contiguous'to thewalls of the mixing valve, valves for controlling the passages acylinder rota- A from theaforesaid pipes into the cylinder, a

with the rotation of the cylinder, a sparkand an electric circuitadapted to be closed by the dog at a predetermined point of its traveland electrifying the sparloplug, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

' ELMER A. THOMAS.

WILLIAM v. BITTER.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, Jos. A. MICHEL.

